The invention set forth in this specification pertains to new and improved soldering iron handle structures and more specifically to handle structures as are utilized with electrically powered soldering irons.
Such soldering irons are on occasion employed for other than soldering and desoldering operations. Thus, they may be utilized with either normal soldering tips or with various specialized tips for wood burning. Occasionally, they are employed in sculpting various wax and wax-type compositions. On occasions they are utilized in connection with the use of thermal plastic adhesives. They are alse employed for various other different diverse purposes. Because of this, the expression "soldering iron" as used in this specification is to be considered as a broad, generic expresssion designating a variety of different implements which can not only be utilized for soldering purposes but which can be utilized for a wide variety of somewhat different but related purposes.
In the past electric soldering irons have, of course, been constructed in a number of ways. The vast majority of such prior electric soldering irons are believed to have been constructed utilizing a tubular or substantially tubular handle having ends. With such structures an electric cord is used so as to extend into the interior of the handle through one end of the handle; within the handle such a cord is normally supported by a mechanical retainer which serves to prevent the cord from being pulled out of the handle and is normally connected electrically to a socket capable of being utilized to operataively hold the base portion of an electric heating element. Such an element normally carries a tip so as to receive heat from the heating element so that such heat may in turn be transferred in connection with a soldering or a desoldering operation.
Because of the fact that soldering irons are widely utilized both industrially and in homes, comparatively large numbers of such soldering irons are sold and used. Many different firms compete in connection with the sale of soldering irons. Because of this latter factor, it is considered that it is quite important for a manufacturer to be able to construct soldering irons at a relatively low cost. Two factors are of significance in connection with this. The parts employed in such soldering irons must be comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. Further, these parts must be relatively simple to assemble into a completed unit. Further, the parts employed must be shaped or constructed in such a manner that they can only be assembled together in one manner in order to make it effectively possible to utilize comparatively unskilled labor in the assembly of these hot soldering iron structures. This latter is particularly important because of the comparatively high costs of labor.
It is not considered that an understanding of the present invention requires a detailed understanding of all of the ways that soldering irons and soldering iron handle structures have been constructed in the past. Prior related soldering irons and soldering iron handle structures have unquestionably been of a utilitarian character and have been widely used. It is considered that such prior structures as a group have tended to be unnecessarily or undesirably expensive. Frequently, this is the result of the costs of the components employed in such structures. Frequently, the labor costs involved in the manufacture or assembly of such prior structures have tended to make them undesirably expensive.